The Pittsburgh Steelers are poised to earn their second playoff appearance in as many seasons under coach Mike Tomlin.
At 5-1, Pittsburgh leads the AFC North by two games - a cushion exceeded only by the unbeaten Tennessee Titans in the AFC South. The...

Andre Johnson was released by the Houston Texans, and quarterback Ryan Mallett agreed to return to the team on Monday. A 12-year veteran, Johnson, the longest-tenured Texan, was a first-round draft pick in 2003, joining the expansion team in its second...

Despite garnering interest for head-coaching vacancies, Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has decided to stay with the team.
“It is flattering and humbling to be invited to interview for a number of NFL head coaching positions, and I greatly...

The San Francisco 49ers, locked in a tight race for a playoff spot, made a short trip Sunday to the one-win Oakland Raiders.
One team looked defeated, completely devoid of passion and ready for the NFL season to be over.
The other team was the Raiders....

As if the weekend wasn't bad enough for San Francisco's Jim Harbaugh — reeling from Sunday's loss at Oakland — the 49ers coach chipped a front tooth Saturday night while biting into a piece of meat.
"Two-dollar steak," he joked with reporters...

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston answers readers' questions about the Ravens' failure to stop the Houston Texans' J.J. Watt, John Harbaugh's coaching style, Gary Kubiak and more.
I would like to know which genius coach came up with the plan to stop...

Admittedly, it was tough to watch the Ravens get undressed on national television Sunday night, but that ugly loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — much of it self-administered — was not a symptom of some irreparable flaw in the team or the organization.
...

Just imagine, the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks — both with a week off — relaxing on their couches Sunday and watching the NFC West-rival San Francisco 49ers circling the drain.
Well, not so fast.
The 49ers, in peril of their first three-game...

Former Towson running back Terrance West used to sell shoes for a living, reluctantly joining the workforce as an overlooked prospect when his football career temporarily was derailed.
Now the Baltimore native has the job of his dreams. He was drafted in...

Last week in parentheses.
1. Seahawks 2-1 (2): Let a 14-point lead slip away but hung on in overtime to win at home for the 19th time in 20 games, including the posteason.
2. Broncos 2-1 (1): Biggest takeaway from loss was defense is much improved,...

Yeah, I figured the Bears' season was over when they choked the opener against the Bills in overtime at home.
Ultimately, it still might be over because of that horrible loss to a bad team. As convenient as it is to point to that embarrassment against...

More than ever, NFL owners are long on expectations and short on patience with new coaches.
And can you blame them?
Consider the success last year's new coaches had, with Philadelphia's Chip Kelly, Kansas City's Andy Reid and San Diego's Mike McCoy...

The AFC North division champion Ravens' AFC wild-card playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium, the NFL announced tonight.
The game features the emotional return of Colts coach Chuck Pagano, a...

Three days after he confirmed that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will be retained, Ravens coach John Harbaugh gave his offense -- and Joe Flacco -- an additional voice, hiring Jim Caldwell as the team's quarterbacks coach.
Caldwell, who was fired...

Houston Texans defensive end turned outside linebacker Mario Williams will be the marquee free agent this offseason not named Peyton Manning. (Interesting side note: The Texans drafted Williams No. 1 overall in part due to Manning’s presence in the AFC...

Having lost their starting quarterback and their highest-paid defensive player in the middle of the season, the Houston Texans are arguably the unlikeliest team left in the NFL's final eight.
But the Ravens say they aren't surprised by the 11-6...

It took former Ravens safety Bernard Pollard a little over a week to find a new home.
Pollard has agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans, putting him back in the AFC South, his agent, Tory Dandy confirmed on Twitter this morning....